Deflector for blast-stackers



( No Model.)

F B GARNES 'DEFLEGTOR FOR BLAST STAGKERS;

Patented N0v .'5, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK B. GARNES, QF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOIVA.

DEFLECTOR F O R BLAST-STACKERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,121, dated November5, 1895. Application filed July 22, 1895. erial No. 656,709. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK B. GARNES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Deflectors forBlast-Stackers and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable'others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

This invention relates to that improvement in thrashing machines knownas. blaststackers, by which the straw and chafi are carriedpneumatically through a pipe or airtrunk and delivered at the outlet endthereof.

The object of this invention is to obviate a common objection to suchstackers, that they deliver the straw and chaff too forcibly, and toprovide means for breaking the force of the blast at or a little beyondthe outlet end of the air-trunk, whereby the straw and chaff aredelivered much more lightly on the stack, the advantages of which willhereinafter more fully appear.

The invention consists in a kind of chute mounted near the outer end ofthe air-trunk and adapted by its peculiar nature and construction tobreak the force of the blast at the delivery end of the air-trunk andaiford a passage through which the straw and chaff are suitably carriedto the stack.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specificationFigure 1 is a view of a device embodying my invention as seen from thefront side or that side nearest the operator of the swinging air-trunk.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, in a vertical plane, of a modified andpreferred form of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The objections to the blast stacker as above suggested are due to thefact that in order to carry away the straw and chaff under allcircumstances a powerful blast is required; but the effect of this is todeliver such straw, &c., in a torrent that makes it impossible for mento stand on the stack and dispose of it at all. This prevents theformation of a symmetrical stack of suitable height and produces a lowflat stack, over which cattle and other stock climb instead of eatinginto the sides thereof. It is further to be noted that the force withwhich the straw is ejected is such as to drive it tightly together, sothat it is practically impossible to pitch it with a fork, and infeeding it or utilizing it for other purposes it can only be handled bycutting down at the sides with a hay-knife. This compactness of thematerial is further objectionable from the fact that the straw, which isgenerally nosed aside, is jammed in so tightly that cattle cannot get atthe chaff, which they relish, and so the stack is practically valuelessfor forage.

My invention contemplates the use of a blast to carry the straw to thepoint of delivery, (it being in so far of great utility,) but breakingand diffusing the blast at this point, and thereby securing acomparatively gentle discharge of the straw to obviate the difficultiesabove mentioned.

Referring now to the drawings, A designates the air-trunk, which hasquite a long beveled opening-at the discharge end and is preferablyprovided with a partial elbow A to carry the straw downward somewhat asdischarged. To the upper side of the air-trunk is secured a bail B, andon the laterally-extended ends of this is pivotally mounted a ring 0,having an ofiset C under the airtrunk to allow for tilt, according tothe inclination of the air-trunk. To the rear portion of this ring (thefarther portion in Fig. 1) is secured a concave hood D, of considerablylarger area than a transverse section of the airtrunk and set at somedistance beyond the end thereof. This concave serves the double purposeof breaking and diffusing the blast and directing and controlling theflow of straw backwardly. In practice it is formed of strips of sheetmetal and is preferably ovoid in form, though the particular form is notof great importance. Its upper end should eX- tend somewhat higher thanthe pipe normally, so that when the pipe is tilted upwardly the chute,which should normally hang in a practically-Vertical position, catchesall the straw discharged therefrom and directs it downwardly oroutwardly through the basket-like outlet to be hereinafter described.

To secure the greatest efficiency in breaking the force of the blast anddiffusing it, this hood should be set at some distance from the theinclination of the air-trunk.

outlet end of the air-trunk, so that the air may spread in everydirection as it escapes therefrom. This of course greatly reduces itsforce, and instead of the straw being driven downwardly with greatvelocity it is thrown out in a moderately rapid stream considerablyspread out and ultimately reaches the stack in a fit condition to behandled or piled automatically in a stack of proper dimensions.

To the ring 0 C are fastened a series of rods E, extending downwardly ina symmetrical basket. In practice the lower outlet end of the basket isconsiderably contracted, so .as to retard the flow of the straw, &c.,collected above. In the simpler and preferred form shown in Fig. 2 theserods are fastened securely to the ring at the upper end and are free ofany connection below the ring. They are made of flexible wire, so thatwhen the discharge from the air-trunk is excessive they may springoutwardly and thus dilate the mouth of the basket.

In Fig. 1 is shown a construction admitting of the control by theoperator of the contraction or dilation of the mouth of the basket. Thisconsists of a ring F, through holes in which the rods or fingers passloosely. One side of the ring is supported on one or more collars f,secured to as many of the fingers. To the other side is connected a pairof cords I I, uniting in a single one I, by means of which the .ring istilted to contract the mouth of the basket. The gravity of the ringenlarges the mouth when the pull of the cord is relaxed.

In practice the ring C G is made of angle iron or steel. Holes are madefor the fingers in both flanges and the bent upper ends of the fingerspass through both holes and are riveted fast in one of them. They arethus held firmly in their proper position.

Normally the basket hangs pendent from the bail, which should be atabout the center of gravity. In this position the straw is dischargedstraight downwardly, whatever be Provision is made for turning thebasket outwardly, however, so as to throw the straw over as wide an areaas may be desired. This is simplya cord connecting with the upperportion of the apparatus, as to a lever G or G. By pulling this cord thelower end of the basket swings baekwardly, returning to normal positionwhen released.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination with theair-trunk of a blast stacker, of a basket-like receptacle ofconsiderably larger area at the top than the discharge end of saidair-trunk, and having a contracted outlet at the other end, mountedcontiguous to the discharge end of said airtrunk, and adapted to receivethe contents thereof and retard its flow to the stack.

2. A basket like receiver for the contents of a blast-stacker air-trunk,of considerably larger area at the upper end than the discharge end ofsaid air-trunk, and wit-h a contracted, open lower end, automaticallydilating and contracting according to the volume of straw passingthrough it.

3. The combination with the air-trunk of a blast stacker, of a conicalreceiver for the c011- tents thereof, the upper, receiving end being ofconsiderably larger area than the end of the pipe, to allow the straw tospread out, and the lower end contracted to retard its flow.

4. The combination with the airtrunk of a blast stacker, of a receiverfor the contents thereof, the upper, receiving end of the receiver beingof considerably larger area than the outlet of the air-trunk, and havingan open, contracted, bu-t'dilatable lower end.

5. A receiver for the contents of the airtrunk of a blast stackerconsisting essentially of a ring adapted to be suspended from saidair-trunk, and a series of depending and inwardly inclined fingers orrods secured thereto.

6. In a device of the class specified, the combination with suitablemeans for suspending it from the air-trunk of a blast stacker, of ablast-diflusing hood, and a conical, basketlike receptacle for thestraw, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The herein described straw receiving and retarding basket composed ofthe ring 0 C of an gle-iron or steel, and flexible, inwardly bentfingers or rods secured to said ring by riveting the angled, upper endsof the rods in holes in one of the flanges, the body of the rods passingthrough the other flange, as described.

8. The combination with the air-trunk of a blast stacker, having abeveled outlet and a downwardly inclined partial elbow, of a strawreceptacle composed essentially of a large, concave blast-diffusinghood, and a basket like receiver for the contents of the air-trunk,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination with the air-trunk of a blast-stacker of a bailhaving lateral bearin projecting some distance from the air-trunk, andabout central therewith, a ring pivoted thereon, and a concave hood ofsubstantially ovoid form attached about midway of its length to saidring, with means for tilting the same, substantially as described.

10. The combination with the air-trunk of a blast stacker, of a bailhaving lateral bearin project-in g about diametrically each side ofthcsame, a ring pivoted thereto,a concave hood, substantially ovoid in formsecured to said ring, and a basket-like chute also attached to saidring, with means substantially as (l escribed for tilting the same.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK B. GARNES.

Vitnesses J. F. GROAT, L. A. ST. JOHN.

